1. Introduction
2. Project outline
3. Process of group formation
4. Group membership
5. Group leadership
6. Activities undertaken by the groups
7. Planned structure for group organisation and function
8. Planned future activities
Conclusions
References
1Stephene Muwaya,
²Audrey K. Kawuki, and
³Elizabeth K. Kyewalabye
¹Livestock Improvement Officer; Jinja District; P.O. Box 433, JINJA.
²District Agricultural Officer; Jinja District, P.O. Box 638, JINJA.
3 National Expert - UNFPA, Women Heifer Project; P.O. Box 67, JINJA.
Abstract
A project Enhancing Women' status through Dairy Heifer Farming and Ownership UGA/91//PO2' has operated in Jinja District, Uganda. Under this project 25 groups of heifer project farmers have been farmed,
Farmers find themselves with common interest and problems which force them to form informal groups for the purposes of: Exchange of experiences; Training; Reporting centres for service delivery; Saving and credit schemes; drug revolving funds and marketing of milk.
The informal groups will lead to format groups at the subcountry and District levels.
The UNFPA Jinja Women Heifer Project describes the project "Enhancing of Women's Status, which is sponsored by through Dairy Heifer Farming and ownership, UGA/91/PO; and implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture animal industry and fisheries, Uganda.
The project which started in 1992 had the general object which started in 1992 had the general objective of improving the quality of life in small holding farming communities by promoting social and economic self reliance.
The project was implemented in Jinja District which lies to the east of Kampala.
In Jinja District before 1992 milk production was dominated by a few about 40 medium scale dairy farmers with only 3 farmers practising zero grazing as a management system.
Lack of high milk yielding breeds combined with poor management practices resulted in very low milk yield there was scarcity of milk with no problem of milk marketing.
Much of the milk produced at the time, was marketed in urban centres with very little sold to the rural population.
The project started in 1992, and since then high milk yielding breeds of cattle have been introduced to the rural and per-urban areas of the district. During the period 1992-1994, 160 In-calf heifers were distributed which have multiplied to make an up to date total of 252 heifers;. The first female calves of the distributed animals are further given out by the project to the next qualifying beneficiaries. Thirty seven farmers out side the project have on their own acquired high producing dairy breeds of cattle and adopted zero grazing.
In calf heifers are donated to youthful peasant families with a few exceptions of opinion leaders in the local communities. While the cow benefits the family, the woman is responsible for its care and managed under zero grazing which is a Labour Intensive System requiring collective effort at family level whereby the woman, husband and children contribute towards the management. A well consolidated family forms the core of strong farmers groups under the project. A united family is the starting point in group formation. It is the basic unit to be organised because its control production.
a) Motivation.
FARMERS, the desire for closer and frequent interaction among farmers involved in a common activity with new demands was the first and most important motivation for group formation.
PROJECT: On the side of the project, the need to have small groups was realised for the purpose of
i) Integrating local communities in heifer project activities,ii Reduce dependence on project but develop local, sustainable collective strategy in solving problems.
group membership is generally guided by
a) proximity - farmers with in a radius of 2-3km (one parish) from a group.
b) common interest - commercial ....small scale producers have a common interest.Members consist of Husband and Wife of each family as full members with voting rights.
Membership per group 1993/ 6-8 farm families.
Membership per group 1995/8-12 farm families.
Membership increased in 1995 to include new calf beneficiaries and non-project adaptors of zero grazing. Groups are encouraged to meet frequently at least once a month. So far there are 25 groups formed under this projects.
a) Leadership
Positions are for women only. Since the project is aimed at enhancing women status, women are elected to leadership position in order to put them in better decision making positions, and to make them gain experience in leadership. Office bearers are elected by secret ballot, supervised by a local respectable personality of integrity.
b) Leadership posts in groups.
|
POST |
ROLE |
|
THE CHAIRMAN |
Presides over meeting and coordinates the group activities |
|
VICE CHAIRMAN |
Assists or represents the chairman if he is away |
|
SECRETARY |
Keeps and writes minutes and other documents of the group |
|
TREASURER |
Collects, keeps and disburse money from and to members for group activities. |
|
MOBILISER |
Passes information to members regarding group activities eg. meeting, training seminars etc. |
|
ANIMAL MANAGER |
Supervises, advises and warns group members on poor animal management helps new members by guiding them in preparations and manage of cattle under zero grazing. |
a) Meetings:Meetings are held to discuss issues of common interest and resolve problems. The frequency and timing of meetings is decided by members while meeting venues are arranged to give each family a chance to host the meeting in order to benefit from advice from other farmers,
b) Training
Groups help in identifying priority areas for training of group members and the Local Community. The group also mobilises people and makes arrangements for training. Training organised through the group is conducted in the locality, making it possible for interested members of the community to participate.
Training costs less to arrange and gives farmers a chance to learn from each other.
c) Reporting centres
The group appoints one of its members, strategically located in easy reach by veterinary staff and project extension officers, to receive record and pass on information regarding service requirement for Artificial Insemination and treatment of animals, in the area. Non project beneficiaries are also free to utilize these reporting centres.
The District as well as the Project officer routinely call at such reporting centres to check for any calls in the area.
d) Saving and credit schemes
Income from milk is small but continuous hence farmers have been encouraged to start as join saving and credit groups. Heifer group members have spear headed formation of such groups and they dominate their Leadership eleven (11) out of 25 groups have their members in Foundation for International Community Assistance (FINCA). a non organisation for credit and saving for Low income women. Another four groups use local saving arrangements.
e) Drug revolving fund
In Uganda, animal drugs and artificial insemination services are relatively expensive for small scale milk producers this necessitated setting up of drug revolving fund operated by the groups in conjunction with the project. The animal manager receives acaricide from the project and sales small amount to the farmers, returns the money to the project before getting more supplies. Farmers with sick animals not yet in milking are given credit for treatment and drugs. Money is paid back slowly after calving.
Cash boxes have been introduced to enable village farmers pay their debts without coming to the Project office, which is far from them.
e) Music and Drama
The project organises music and drama activities culminating in annual competitions where project and non-project farmer's groups in the rural and peri-urban participate in performances at village, subcountry and district levels.
In such performances specific and educational messages on several topics, including nutrition, on dramatising events that promote milk consumption, hygiene, which addresses milk handling, go a long way in sensitising the entire community to creation of a greater marketed for the milk produced.
f) Marketing of milk
During 1993 average milk production per day per-cow ranged on average between 8-15 litres per cow for day. In this period milk marketing was not a problem.
In 1994 when most cows, entered the second lactation, the average yield per cow ranged between 15-25 litres of milk, this amount was beyond local consumption; farmers therefore had to find means of how:
i) to sell all the surplus milk above local demand.
ii) to sell milk at fair price to break even in running the Dairy enterprise.
iii) Reduce time wasting in marketing milk to far off areas.Twelve groups have started a collective member, usually a man, undertakes to transport and market milk in urban centres at a fair cost. some times a reliable member of the community is provide with bicycle transport and paid a wage by the group to carry out the task.
Usually, between 3-7 families agree to market their milk collectively. After milking and sieving her milk a farmer measures, separates and records milk for calf, domestic consumption and local customers. The remaining or surplus milk is poured in a clean jerrycan securely covered and delivered to the person responsible for milking or awaits his collection depending on the arrangement. Usually the morning milk is sold using this arrangement while the afternoon milk is sold to local customers.
Planned structure for group organisation and function
a) Consolidating grass root farmers groups the project intends to facilitate formation of leadership structures at the subcountry and district level. It also intends create greater advocacy for farmers problems and embark on bigger projects in addressing production and marketing/issues of small scale milk.b) The associations will help solicit for credit to help farmers invest in technologies union reduce cost of production eg. grass choppers, biogas production etc.
c) Set up milk collecting centres, with small clothing plants is strategic places and these will be run by subcountry level associations.
d) Encourage the setting up of milk processing plant to guarantee high price and marked for milk
e) Increase farmers role in the management of the drug revolving fund.
1. It is here concluded that the project had succeeded in assisting with the establishment of farmers grassroot informal groups.2. Encouraging of fair distribution of labour within the family, and particularly involving women in decision making processes right from the home levels, ensures formation of strong informal groups based on the family as a basic unit.
3. Woman is the sole office bearers in their informal groups have proved very efficient and hold the groups together and functional for three years.
Enhancing women status through Dairy heifer Fanning and ownership UGA/91/PO2 Project proposal document 1991.
Enhancing women status through Dairy Heifer farming and ownership. UGA/91/PO2. Annual report 1994.
Evaluation report on Enhancing women's status through Dairy heifer farming and ownership. United Nations population Fund, Uganda. September, 1994.
Workshop report on: Group organisation and family life education for the Project. Enhancing women status. December, 1992.
DISCUSSION
Q. Dr. Ghamunga Sudi
Formation of milk producer marketing groups on integrated production. How do those groups integrate crop production conjunction and land use systems in conduction with dairying. How do you avoid competition on land utilization?
Response:
Our groups are specific on dairy farming but these do not exclude them from belonging to other associations, life coffee production or any other crops. Dairying can not be run as an independent activity it has to be integrated and we provide courses on proper management of animals including crop integration. We also add social and economic issues.
Q. Abiliza Kimambo
Comment. Promotion of milk and milk products consumption is lacking in the marketing of milk. What should we do?
Response:
Yes, there is a need of social marketing for milk consumption. The question is who should do it.
Q. de Wolf
What is the linkage and coordination with Uganda National farmers Association and other projects like EEG, HPI.
Who is initiating the groups the project or farmer themselves.
Response:
Uganda National farmers Association and a big number of NGO have different objectives. There is coordination under the Ministry of Agricultural and Fisheries and Livestock.
Outcome from the rehabilitation plan for the dairy rector Diagnostic survey was done which resulted in farmer groups.
Q. Rutamu Innocent
(Question to Muwaya) Heifer Project - Jinja.
Are the groups discussed - Social Institutions, using dairy cattle as a catalyst, or are economic institutions using special social approach- which one has the upper hand.
Response
The aim is to develop social and economic self reliance. We operate in intergraded approach.
Q. V. Rugambwa
Is there any other intervention with the farmer groups other than dairy development?
Response:
Yes, there are other interventions with groups which address the total farming system in addition to Dairy Development.
Q. Rahma M. Mshangama
1. It seems there is a hidden agenda of women empowerment in your programme by favouring women to hold leadership position. I would like to know the reaction of men and husbands within the area since you have a problem of Veterinary services provision in your Programme.2. Do you have any plan to introduce contact farmers approach who could be trained to attend simple disease cases, like what happens in some parts of Tanzania particularly in Masai areas?
Response:
1. Most of the husband are happy to see their wives are given responsibilities. It also helps to solve family programme.
2. The first step we have introduced Animal managers who are responsible for keeping drugs and the second step will be to train the Animal Manager on animal treatment.
